Our one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) prepares you to teach the primary curriculum.

You will gain experience in teaching across the various Key Stages so that you are confident in teaching any year group. You can choose to focus on the Early Years and Key Stage 1, or Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 (although you will be qualified to teach all 3 age phases). 

You will have taught sessions at University (around 10 weeks over the year) and spend a minimum of 120 days on placements in schools.

When you’re at Manchester Met, you’ll learn teaching methods and organisational skills, and how to apply your knowledge in the classroom. Some of the skills you’ll learn include how to plan lessons and how to manage children’s behaviour.

You’ll explore creative ways to teach across the core curriculum, from subjects such as History and Science to English and Art. You might, for example, explore how to use drama and role-play to bring history to life.

We also have science laboratories on campus, where you’ll have taught sessions with our science tutors so that you can develop the knowledge you’ll need to teach your class.

You won’t only learn teaching methods with us on campus though, you’ll spend at least 120 days on placements in a variety of schools, gradually increasing your involvement to become an expert practitioner. You will, with support and mentoring, progress to teaching a 70-80% timetable in your final school experience.

On your placements, you’ll get involved with everything in school, from assemblies to playground duties to speaking with parents.

Most of our graduates go on to work as Primary teachers in primary schools.

The PGCE programme provides you with 60 masters' level credits when you graduate. You could put these towards a masters degree to help you develop your career in the field of education including our new MTeach masters specifically designed for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs).